How the tree is a symbol of Guts’ state of mind


Trees often shows up in a few key scenes throughout Berserk and I never really thought much of it. But when you examine this more closely you find out some interesting things:

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As you can probably tell, the tree is healthy state and growing (except during his birth perhaps) throughout the golden age arc:

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During Lost Children Arc the tree he rested under was outright possessed. Guts himself was pretty much a Lost Child back then too:

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What’s also interesting: he is literally fighting the tree in Lost Children. During Golden age, you usually find him resting against it or taking shelter below it. Is that a metaphor for Guts fighting against his own nature…? Edit: Later he’s literally stating just that: he has become soft and is trying to rid himself of the softer spots of his personality (something he’s done meeting Chitch, as well). This seriously has me wondering whether Miura did this on purpose!

And I absolutely love how the tree is normal, but all shrivelled up and dead when Farny joins Guts and Puck (very fitting to Guts’ mental state at the time!!!).

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And considering all this, this page becomes even more intriguing:

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Is it just me or is the tree a metaphor for Guts’ state of mental health…?

2 thoughts on “How the tree is a symbol of Guts’ state of mind

  1. If you take in count Trees are the living links among the Three Layers of our reality (Underground/Subconciousness, Middle World/Earth/Midland and Upper World/Heaven) it becomes crystal clear. Regaining Casca is kinda the recovering of Mother Earth, the returning of Persephonée and the like.

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